Category: Phone Etiquette

Communication, in our twenty first century world, is clearly the most important aspect of modern living. Our businesses depend upon instantaneous communication via email over the Internet. Websites and social media pages are updated continuously, and the media is in a frenzy to maintain their position of prime influence. But do not forget the humble telephone and the sound of the human voice, when evaluating the important methods of communication within our societies. Indeed, the phone packs a technological punch now as a virtual hand-held computer; the smart phone.

However, it is not on its ability to take pictures and send them around the globe instantly, that I award as its most valuable quality. It is still its traditional role of connecting human voices with human ears. It is the intimacy of this form of communication which closes deals, makes sales, delivers market research and customer loyalty; and so much more. The aural nature of the human voice is so much more powerful than reading the written word when doing business. The inflections within conversations, the ums and ahs, the oohs and OMG’s, the soothing and the exciting are all delivered over the phone with aplomb. Whereas writing, is desensitised, generally flatter and undemanding.

Of course, you must have a personable and professional phone manner. You must be able to speak clearly, grammatically correctly, and hopefully, intelligently. Most of us pick up our phone manner from, initially, mimicking our parents; and later friends and colleagues. But you may benefit from taking a course in phone manner; it may really improve your performance at work. Phone manner is much more than, merely, business related, it affects your personal life greatly too. Communicating with friends and loved ones, is often done over the phone, and situations requiring mediation are dependent upon phone manner. Phone calls can be therapeutic, involving counselling, and, even, phone sex operators must be proficient in their use of the instrument.

Courses in phone manner should be de rigour, in my opinion, held in schools and institutions, everywhere. The phone is our best friend when we know how to use it, and we should not assume that everybody knows how to properly communicate via the phone. Poor phone manner can deter love interest and prematurely terminate fledgling relationships. There are, in all likelihood, a lot of lonely people out there who don’t know how to best use the telephone. Some simple instruction in phone manner best practice could, quite possibly, transform their lives.